Crimping tool for forming roof deck



y 1960 A. 3. WILSON ETAL 2,944,503

CRIMPING TOOL FOR FORMING ROOF DECK 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 12, 1954 July'12, 1960 A. B. WILSON ETA!- CRIMPING TOOL FOR FORMING ROOF nscx Filed May 12, 1954 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENIORS. alien/.5. ZZ/Llscm/ BY Czbafrgfiz amkzg V I/ v 5 July 12, 1960 A. B. WILSON ETAL 2,944,503

CRIMPING TOOL FOR FORMING ROOF DECK Filed May 12, 1954 s She ets-Sheet s IN V EN TORS.

QZZQh/Zi 0" 50m, $15 BY czbdfg mi rigs. lto 4, inclusive;ry; 6 IfFig. 6 shows a sectional view aken'ioii'the line or Fig. with th'eplunger 17 posit ned upwardly within j nembezo; i

United States Patent This inventionrelates to an improved crimping tool for use in forming joints between the partsof the roof decks. I r

In the building of a certain type of roof Constructions, such as those employed in factories, and other buildings, itis customary to provide a sheet metal roof deck, which rests upon the beams or othersupporting structure of the roof, and which is covered with insulation, tar paper, asphalt, tar or other materials by which ,theouter covering of the roof is formed and .the roof made weather tight. It is .the usual practice to form the roof deck of sheet metal panels supported by sheet metal beams, thus providing a composite sheet metal structure which extends throughout the area of the roof. These sheet metal panels and beams are commonly secured together by means of specially formed fasteners which have added substantially to the cost of the roofing material and to the cost of the labor required to build. the roof. Also, the use of these auxiliary fastening devices has not been satisfactory because of their tendency to become loose after use and because they sometimes require the punching of the panels and beams to form holes which donot always register properly when the roof deck is assembled.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved crimping tool which may be employed to cutjja tongue from one roof-member and curl it into interlocking'engagernent with another roof member. Other. objects relate to various features of construction and arrangement whichwill appear more fully hereinafter.

The nature of the invention willbe understood; from the following specification taken with" the accompanying drawings inwhich one embodiment of a roof deck and 'one exampleof forming it areillustrated inconnection with three forms of the improved crimping tool ,lnfthe drawings, 7 ,1 p

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a roof deck formed using the crimping tool of the present inven- 1 tion and illustrating the use of the improved cirmping tool in the hands of a workman;

v Fig. '2 shows an enlarged top plan'view of aportion V of the roof deck illustrated in Fig. l; 1 i

Fig. 3 shows a sectional view taken 'on the line 3- -3 of Fig. 2;

, Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspectiveview iof a portion of the roof deck illustrated in Fig.- l, with parts thereof shown in vertical section;

Fig. 5 shows an enlarged front elevation of one of the improved crimping tool adapted for use injfo'rmin'ga joint-s between ;the parts of the roof: deck illustrated in' Fig. 7 is a viewsimilar tothe lower part'of Figl6 illusf'trating the relative positions and conditions of thei parts f f'jwheln theicrimpingt'oolshownin EigsI'iS aIi e isfirstpm in place'for use; f e

Patented July 12, 1960 ICC Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the'line 8: 8 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view similar'to that of Fig. 6 showing a modified form of the crimpingtool of 5 the present invention with the parts thereof in the relative positions which they occupy preliminary to forming the joint between the parts of the roof deck;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to that of Fig. 9 showing the relative positions of the parts of the tool after the joint 10 has been formed;

Fig. 1-1 is .a sectional view taken on the line 1111 Fig. 12 is a view similar to that of Fig. 6 showing'a' side elevation" of a third form of the invention with the parts in the relative positions which they occupy when the tool is first placed in proximity to the parts of the roof deck preliminary to forming a joint; Fig. 13 is a view similar to that of Fig.12 showing the relative positions of the parts of the tool when the joint has been partially formed;

Fig. 14-is a view similar to those of Figs. 12 and 13 showing the relative positions of the parts of the tool when the formation of the joint has been completed; and

3 Fig.- 15 is a sectional viewtaken on the line 15-15 of Fig. i 12.

11 which, as further shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, is made up ofia plurality of parallel beams l2 upon which are mounted a plurality of sheet metal roof panels 13. The

beams 12 are formed of sheet metal and extend parallel to each other with their upper surfaces at the same level as the uppersurfaces of the panels 13. Each beam comprises a top wall 12a having sidewalls: 12b .extending downwardly therefrom and flared outwardly from the 'top'wall to a slight extent. Each sidewall 12b is joined fwith a verticallyextending outer wall 12d, each of which 40 terminates at its top edge in an inwardly turned flange up of parallel convolutions including top -wall' portions 'grall'y with the bottomwalls 13d. The panels 13 rest planes as the top surfaces of the adjacentwalls -12a of the supporting beamslf panels 13 are connected: by means-which are formed integrally with these members including tongues 161; which areformedatthe ends of the bottom walls 13d ot the channels13b and which are curled or bent down- "wardly and-laterally about the inclined flanges l'2e 'ofthe beams, thus' providing interlocking 'jointsbe'tween the outer portions of each beam and the panels 13which are supported thereonb Theflanges 13e are formed by slitting the metal ofthe bottom walls 13d of the channels asf shown in Fig..:3. ln'zthis'way, the parts of-the roof deck are securely connected together without the'u'se of auiriliaryfasteningdevices. 'i l "l V I J 8"of the drawings-there is 7 shown one form'ioflthe crimping tool 10'by which the beg-beams. This forfri "of thecriniping tool comprises In'Fig. 1 of the drawings, the improved crimping tear 10.is shown in'the hands; of a. workman on a roof deckwith a 'bottom wall'12c and each bottom wall is joined ille' whichiis ihclined downw'ardly away from' the plane of-the uppermost edge of the connected outerwall. I Each sheet-panel 13 is of corrugate'd form, being made 13a which areofslibstantialwidth and whichare'z'jbined byjthe intervening channel portions 13b; each' fcomprising downwardly couverging walls 13 0 whichare' formed inte- 'uponrthe upperedgesof the outerfwalls lzdo'f theibeams v and thetop surfaces of'the panels 13a arein'the same Accordingto the present invention, the beams 12 and inwardly from: their edges bending these Itongues downwardly and outwardlyso that they underlie the flanges lle and conformto the inclination of these flanges 13 are 'f rmed and curled about the fianges of a shearing and bending head 16 having a body portion 16a of cylindrical form and a downwardly projecting blade portion 16b which has parallel side faces 16c and two relatively inclined and downwardly converging end faces 16d and Me which terminate in a sharp edge 16). At its upper end, the inclined surface We is connected by "a shoulder 16g with another inclined surface 1611 which extends upwardly to the lower end of the cylindrical portion 16a.

When this tool is put into use it is first placed in the position shown in Fig. 7 with the face 16d of the blade contacting the outer surface of aside Wall 1212 and with the surface 166 resting on the edge ofthe bottom wall 13d of the panel 13 which is then resting upon the upper edge of the adjacent outer wall 12d. In order to form the joint which has previously been described, the head 16 is then thrust downwardly with the result that the .metal of the bottom wall 13d of the channel is sheared longitudinally to form a tongue which is at the same time bent downwardly and reversed about the edge of the flange 12a of the beamuntil it finally occupiesthe {position shown in Fig. 6 where it is bent around the flange of the beam and lies in close contact therewith, thus hold- Sing the panel against relative :niov'ement'in any direction with respect to the connected beam.

To faciiitate the actuation of thehead 16 in the formation of the interlocking joint between the beam and the panel, the cylindrical portion 16a of the head is provided at its upper end with a tubular bore 16 which is. threadedly engaged by a plunger 01' piston rod '17.

.Relative rotation of the members 16 and His prevented by a pin.18 which extends transversely through the threaded portions thereof.

The piston or plunger 17 has a loose sliding engagement with a block '19 having at its upper end an internally threaded recess 19a which is threadedly engaged by the lower extremity of a tube 20. The piston rod or plunger 17 isprovided at its upper end with a piston 21 adapted to slide in the tube 20. When the piston rod and piston are in their upper positions the head 16 lies in proximity t'o'the block 19 and the piston 21 lies in proximity to a plug 22 which is secured in the upper end of the :tube 20 by transverse pins or rivets 23. The plug 22 extendsupwardly. beyond the tube 20 and provides with the tube 20 a handle for manipulating the tool, A :tra'nsverse bar 24 is secured in the upper endof the plug 22 for engagement by' the hands :of the operator.

lnthe useof'this tool, the tube 20 and theplug 22 are reciprocated onthepiston :21. and-the-p i'ston rod 17 in order to impart blows to the-upper'end of the-piston rod or plunger 17,'thereby causing thehead 16 to be forced downwardly andltoperform the previously de- *1 scribed shearing and bending operations on the edge of the bottom wall of the channel-"in the roof panel. The'tool may be operated'in this manner by a workman standing on the roofdeck, as shown in Fig. l, and the roof panels may thus be quickly andsecurely connected to the side portions of the supporting beams.

In Figs. 9, 10 and 11 of the drawings, there is shown a modified form of the invention which is similar to that previously described except for-the construction of the shearing and bending head 25 which'is mounted at the lower end'of a reciprocatingpiston or plunger 26 and actuated in the manner. previously -set forth. The lower end of the head 25 is bifurcatedtoform a slot 25a bounded by side walls 25b and these side walls are engaged by a pin 27 on which there is mounted a cutting and bending die 28. This die has 'onefarrn 28a which -is adapted to rest uponthe 'top-surface-of'thebottom wall 13d of the channel and:it also'compr-ises a rightangul'arl-y disposed shearing and bending arm .2812 having 1 a straight end face '28c-which is adapted to engage the side wall 12b of the beam when the tool is first brought -.-into operating position as illustratedlin Fig. 9. When the head 25 is forced downwardly by the impact mechanism previously described, the arm 28 moves downwardly from the position shown in Fig. 9 as the arm 28a rocks about the surface of the bottom wall 13d thereby shearing the metal of the bottom wall 13d to form a tongue which is curled about the edge of the flange 12:; of the beam, thereby forming the previously described interlocking joint.

A third form of crimping tool is illustrated in Figs. 12 to 15, inclusive, as comprising .a cylindrical head 29 adapted to be connected to the piston or plunger of the operating mechanism which is constructed and actuated as previously described in-connection with the form of crimping tool shown in Figs. 5 to "8,inclusive. The lower end of the head 29 is provided with aprojection 29a in the form of a flat plate which has side plates 31 secured to the opposite sides'there'of by means of rivets 30. These piates are of irregular form and have their lower parts secured together by shouldered rivets 32,733 and 34, being thus spaced apartto-receive between them the bending die 35 which is pivotally mounted upon therivet 32..

The bending die is provided with a curved surface 65a which normally lies in contact with the rivet 33, being held in that position by a coil spring 36 which seats'in a recess 35b formed in the upper part of the die 35 with its other upper end seated in another recess 29b which is formed in the extension 29a of the head.

The side plates 31 are provided with downwardly extending projections 31a which form the shearing dies by which the tongues are cut from the bottomportions ofthe channels in the roof panels. These projections are provided with downwardly converging faces 31b and 31c which are connected by inclined end faces 31d. When the crimping tool is brought into operating position with respect to the roof, the extensions 31a of the side plates occupy vertical positions as shown in Fig. 12 with the end faces 31d resting upon the edge portions of the'bottom wall 13d of a channel and, at that time, the surface 35a of the bending die is seated upon the rivet'33 and theben'ding jaw 350 which is formed on the lower projection 35d of the bending jaw then occupies a position between the side plates 31 and above the rivet-34. As the head 3b is forced downwardly by the impact mechanism disclosed in connection with the first form of crimping tool'prev'iously described, the projections 31a of the side plates are'forced bottom wall 13d of the channel engages a surface 35c which is formed on the bending die in proximity to the jaw 35c. Then, upon further downward movement of the tool, the bending die 35 is rocked about its pivot 32 against the compression of the spring 36 and the jaw 350 is actuated to engage the tongue which has been sheared from the bottom wall of the channel and'to bendithis tongue about the flange 12c until it occupies the positionshowin in Fig. 14. The joint is then completed and, upon withdrawing the tool from the position shown in Fig. '14, the bending die 35 restoredto its normal position by the spring 36.

Although certain preferred embodiments of the improved crimping tool have been illustrated and described, it will be understood't'hat all of these features of the present invention may be modified in various'ways without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

. We claim: 7

1. A tool to interconnect two contacting metal flanges fiange,-said toolcomprising ahead having apair of spaced apartfsubstantially, parallel cutting edges thereon on one side thereof an anvil surface on the other side of .said

head, said cutting edges and'said anvil surface being dis- 7 E if 3 1 a 5 posed at an a cuteIangle'with'respect to each other and being spaced apart a distance, such that the smaller end of said head can be inserted between the first flange and the wall with said cutting edges against the first flange and said anvil surface against the wall, said cutting edges and said anvil surface diverging such that the distance therebetweenis greater than the distance between the edge of the first flange and the wall so that movement of said anvil to clamp the flangestogether,

2. .A tooltoiinterconnecttwo contacting metal flanges extending toward a wall relatively immovable with respect thereto and disposed at anacute angletherewith, the

flanges terminating at points spaced from the wall with flange, said tool comprising a head having apairof-spaced apart substantially parallel cutting-.edgesthereonon one side thereof, an anvilsurface on'theotherside of. said head, said cutting edges and said anvil surface beingdisposed at an acute angle with respect to each other and being spaced apart a distance such that the smaller end of said head can-be inserted between the first flange and thjeg' wall with said cutting edges against the first flange and said anvil surfaceagainst the wall, said cutting edges and said anvil surface diverging suchthat the distance therethe first flangeextending toward the wall past the second 1 3 said cutting edges against the first flange and saidanvil face against the wall, said cutting edges and said anvil surface diverging such that the distance therebetween is greater than the distance between the edge of the first flange and the wall so that movement of said anvil surface along the wall serves to force said cutting edges against the edge of the first flange at points spaced apart a distance equal to the width of said blade portion and in a direction substantially perpendicular to the edge of the first flange and substantially to the edge of the second flangeto form a tongue, and a tongue bending face formed on said blade portion on the side-thereof opposite said anvil face to contact'and progressively to bend the tongue as said cut-ting edges form the tongue to'direct it around the edge of the second flange to clampthe flanges together; '1 p I 5A, tool to interconnect two contacting metal flanges extending toward a wall relatively immovable with res'pe'ct thereto and disposed at an acute angle therewith, the flanges terminating atpoints spaced from the 'wallwith thejfirst flange extending toward thewall past the second flange, saidtztool comprising a tube, a piston mounted for reciprocation in said, tube," a piston rod; connected 1 a said piston and extending therefromv and, out :ofsaid tube, an impact member-mounted to engage said piston 'to impart blows thereto, and a head mounted onjthe end of said piston disposed outside offsaid tube, said head having a blade portion provided with -a pair'of parallel spaced apart cutting edges on one sidethereof, an anvil face formed on the other side of saidjbladeportion, said cutting edges and said anvil face being disposed :at an acute angle with respect to each other and between is greater-than the distance between the edge of (progressively to bend the. tongue into a U-shape as said cutting edges form the tongue to' 'direct it around the edge of the second flange with the free end of thetongu'e directed away from the wall, and 'driving means operatively connected to said head to drive said head between the wall and the flanges, saiddriving means applying a force along a line in a direction parallel to a plane passing through the point of intersection of planes defined by said cutting edges and said anvil surface and included there'- between. Y a

3. A tool as set forth in claim 2, wherein the driving means includes a cylinder, a 'piston shiftably mounted within said cylinder and connected to said head, and an impact member mounted in said cylinder in a position to be driven against and to move said piston to drive said head, the axes of said cylinder and said piston extending a in the direction of the driving force and being disposed at an acute angle to both said cutting edges and said anvil surface and parallel to a plane passing through the intersection of planes defined by saidcuttingedges and said an vil and included therebetween. r V I 4. A tool to interconnect two contacting metal flanges extending toward arwall relatively immovable withrespect thereto and disposed at an acute angle therewith, the flanges terminating at pointsspaced from the wall with the first flange extending toward the wall past the second flange, said tool comprising a tube, a head mounted, on said tube for reciprocation with respect thereto, saidrhead having a blade portion provided with a pair of parallel j acute angle with respect to each other and being spaced I apart 'a distance such that the smaller end of said head can be inserted between the first flange and the 'wall with being spaced apart a distance such that the smaller end of said head can be inserted, bet-ween the first flange and the wallwith said cutting edges against the first flange and said' anvil face against the wall, said'cutting edges and said'anvil surface diverging such that the distance 'therebetween is greater than the distance between the edged the first flange and the wall so that movement of said anvil surface along the wall serves 'toforce said a cutting edges against the edge of the first flange at points spaced apart a distance equal to the width of said blade portion and "in a direction substantially'perpendicular to the ed'ge'of the first flange and, substantially to the edge of the second flange to form a tongue, and a tongue benda ing face formed on said blade portion on the side thereof opposites-aid anvilfacje to contact and progressively to .bend the tongue as said cutting edges form the tongue to direct it around the edge of the second flange to' clamp at an acute angle with respect to each other and being.

spaced aparta distance such that the smaller endof'said head can'be inserted between the first flange and'the walllwith saidrcutting edges against the first flange and said anvil surface against the wall, said cutting edgesrand Tsaid .anvil surface diverging such that-the-distancejtherebetween is greater than the distance between the edge of the first flange and the wall so that movement'of said anvil surface along the wall serves tov force said cuttingedges against the edge of the first flange to shear the edge of the first flange at spaced apart points therealong and in a direction substantially perpendicularthereto andsubstantially to the edge of the second flange to form a tongue, a tongue bending member pivotally mounted on said head, and means to actuate said tongue bending memher to move it into engagement with the tongue after a 7 forming thereof by said cutting edges to bend the tongue aroundthe edge of the second flange.

7. A tool to interconnect two cont-acting :metal flang'es extending "toward a wall relatively immovable 'with respect'there'to and disposed at an acute angletherew'ith, the flanges terminating at points spaced from the wall with the first flange extending toward the wall past the second flange, said tool comprising a head having a shearing and bending die'pivotally mounted thereon, said. die having a pair of spaced apart cutting edges for me'd thereonon one sidethereof, ananvil surface formed on said die and spaced from said cutting edges-said cutting edges and said anvil 'surfacebeing disposed at an acute angle with respect to each other and being spaced apart a distance such that the smaller end of said die ean be'inserted between the first flange and the wall with said cutting edges against theffirst flange and said anvilsurface against the wall, and an arm formed integral with said die and engageable with flanges to pivot sai'd bending dieto force said cutting edges against 'the'edge of the first flange to shear the'edge of the first flange in a direction substantially perpendicular 'thereto and f substantially to the edge of thesecondflange to form atongue and simultaneously and progressively to bend the tongue around the edge of the second flange to clamp the flanges together.

'8. A tool to interconnect two contacting metal flanges extending toward a wall relatively'immovable with respect thereto and disposed atlan acute angle therewith, the flanges terminating at points spaced from the wall with the first flange extending toward the wall past the second flange, said tool comprising a cylinder, a piston mounted for reciprocation in said cylinder, a piston rod connected to said piston and extending therefrom and out of said cylinder, an impact member mounted in said cylinder to engage and to drive said piston, a head mounted on the end of said piston rod extending out of said cylinder, an L-shapedcutting and bending die including two legs, and means pivoting said die at the junction of the "legs thereof on-said'head, oneof the legs of said die having a'pair of spaced apart cutting edges on the side thereof adjacent to the other leg, said one leg having an anvil surface formed on the side thereof disposed away from theother leg, said cutting edges and said anvil'surface being disposed at an acute angle with respect to each other and having a smaller end that can be inserted between the first flange and the wall with said cutting edges against the first flange and said anvil surface against the wall, the other leg of said die being adapted toreact against the flanges to move said one leg against the first flange to form a tongue therefromand thereafter to bend'the tongue around the second flange.

9. A tool to-inte'rconnect two contacting metal flanges extending toward a wall relatively imrnovab'le with respect thereto and disposed infa'n acute angle therewith, the flanges terminating at points spaced from the wall with the first flange extending toward the wall past the second flange, said tool comprising a head-having a pair of spaced apart cutting edges formed'on oneside thereof, an anvil surface formed onthe other side of said head, said anvil surface and'said cutting edges being disposed 'a't'an'iacute angle with respectto' each other and providing .aisrna'ller end of said head which canbe inserted between the iirst flange and the wall with said cutting edges against the first flange and said anvil surface against the wall, said cutting edges and said anvil surface diverging so that the distance therebetween is greater than the distance between the edge of the first flangeand the wall so that movement of said anvil surface along the wall serves to force said cutting edges against the edge of the first flange to shear the edge of the first flange at spaced apart points-in a direction substantially perpendicular thereto and substantially to the edge of the second flange to form a tongue, and a bending die pivotally mountedon said head, said bending die having an abutment member movable into engagement with the flanges after the formation of the tongue by said cutting edges to move said bending die against the tongue to bend the tongue around the edge of the second flange to clamp the flanges together.

1-0. Atoolto interconnect two contacting metal flanges extending toward a wall relatively immovable with respect thereto and disposed in an acute angle therewith, the flanges terminating at points spaced fromtthe wall with the first flange extending toward'the wall past the second flange, said tool compr ising ahead having a pair of spaced 'apart cutting edges formed on one side thereof, an anvil surface formed on the other side of said head, said anvil surface and said cutting edges being disposed at an acute angle with respect to eachother and providing a smaller end of said head which can be inserted between the first flange and the wall with said cutting edges against the first flange and said anvil surface against the wall, said cutting edges and said anvil surface diverging so that the distance therebetween is greater than the distance between the edge of the first flange and .the' wall so that movement of said anvil surface along the wall serves to force said cutting edges against the edge of the first flange to shear the edge of the first flange at spaced apart points in a directionsubstantially perpendicular thereto and substantially to the edge of the second flange to form a tongue,

a bending die pivotally mounted on said head between said cutting edges, a spring member urging said bending die into a non bending position between said cutting edges and said anvil surface, an abutment shoulder formed on said bending die in a position'to engagea flange after formation of the tongue to move said bending die into a bending position, and a'hook-shaped bendingjaw depending downwardly front-said bending die and movable against a tongue formed by said cutting edges upon'engagement of said abutment member with the flanges to bend the tongue around the second flange.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 430,000 Clark u "dune 10, 1890 518,766 Plecker Apr. 24, 1894 1,055,680 Stacy et al. Mar, 11, 1913 1,148,672 Gessler Aug. 3, 1915 1,306,920 Miller June 17, 1919 1,430,807 Hofimann Oct. 3, 1922 1,729,946 Kuehn Oct. 1, 1929 1,808,452 Cousins June 2 1 931 1,816,556 White -1 July 28, 1931 1,891,767 Ketcham Dec. 20, 1932 2,426,670 Cooley Sept. 2, 1947 2,693,218 Freedom Nov. 2, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 206,941 Great Britain Nov. 22, 1923 

